Preface

Abstract

2019 Conference “Forests of Russia: policy, industry, science and education” was organised by Saint Petersburg State Forest Technical University and was held in Saint Petersburg, Russia from May 22 to 24, 2019.The volume contains articles based on the results of research in forest regeneration, forestry, forest inventory and management, forest protection, mechanical and chemical processing of wood and non-wood forest products, and forest law and economics. The results obtained in the course of research were discussed at the IV scientific and technical conference “Forests of Russia: Policy, Industry, Science, Education”, which was held on May 22-24, 2019 in St. Petersburg State Forest Technical University.The presented articles provide data on new methods for obtaining planting material for artificial forest regeneration and new ways of creating and caring for forest plantations. An assessment of the impact of various silvicultural measures on the productivity and quality of forests has been made. Existing methods of quantitative and qualitative assessment of forests have been analysed and new and more accurate methods for studying forests using unmanned aerial vehicles have been proposed. New methods for the identification of pathogenic microorganisms that affect the biological stability of forests have been proposed, and a technology has been developed to protect forests from pests. Fire safety of forests has been analysed and fundamentally new approaches have been proposed including preventive fireproof treatment of forests and the creation of fire-resistant breaks. Non-destructive methods to assess wood quality and fundamentally new methods of drying sawn timber have been discussed. New technologies of chemical processing of wood waste and forest products for the production of medicinal and agricultural products have been proposed. Existing methods of the economic assessment of forest stands and forest products have been analysed, and a method for their improved assessment has been developed. Forest legislation and forest relations in the Russian Federation have been analysed, and ways to optimise and improve them have been proposed.All published articles are of undisputable scientific and practical interest for scientists and specialists on forest, woodworking and wood chemical industry.I am very grateful to the authors of the published articles, and I would like to thank Ph.D. M. Lobovivikov, Professor A. Alekseev, Associate Professor E. Kuznetsov, Professor A. Chubinsky, Professor D. Ponomarev, Associate Professor I. Melnichuk, Professor V. Neshataev, and Associate Professor E. Khitrov for editing these articles.Vice-rector on scientific work,Candidate of Technical Sciences Vasily Gedyo